ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ ﲭ ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ ﲳ ﲴ ﲵ ﲶ
And ask them about the town that was by the sea - when they transgressed in [the matter of] the sabbath - when their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day, and the day they had no sabbath they did not come to them. Thus did We give them trial because they were defiantly disobedient.
Tafsir
Verse range: 7:163
And ask them about the town...
The command, {And ask them}, is intended to establish the reality of this past event. Since the Prophet (PBUH) already knew the story from God, the mention of this question serves one of two purposes:
The majority opinion holds that the town was Ayla (Aqaba). Others suggest it was Madyan or Tiberias. The Arabs often use the term qaryah (village/town) to refer to a city.
{which was situated by the sea}: This means it was near the sea, adjacent to it, and on its shore. Hāḍirah (present/situated near) is the opposite of ghaybah (absent/hidden), similar to the verse: {That is for those whose families are not present at the Sacred Mosque} (Al-Baqarah: 196).
{when they transgressed concerning the Sabbath}: This means they exceeded God's limits regarding the Sabbath, specifically by fishing on that day when they were forbidden to do so.
There is a variant reading of {yaʿdūna} (transgressing) where the tā’ (ت) is assimilated into the dāl (د), and its vowel is transferred to the ʿayn (ع), resulting in {yaʿtadūna} (exceeding/aggressing).
The word {yaʿdūna} can also mean they were counting (from ʿadad). They would count the fishing implements on the Sabbath, even though they were commanded to occupy themselves only with worship on that day.
{As-Sabt} (the Sabbath) is the verbal noun derived from sabatat al-yahūd (the Jews magnified their Sabbath). Thus, {when they transgressed concerning the Sabbath} means they were transgressing in the magnification of this day. Similarly, {on the day of their Sabbath} means the day of their observance/magnification of the Sabbath command. This is supported by the reading {when they do not observe the Sabbath}.
Further support comes from the reading of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz using the noun form for the day. There are variant readings for {lā yasbutūn} (they do not observe the Sabbath), including a ḍammah on the bā’ (ب). 'Ali (RA) read it as {lā yusbitūn} with a ḍammah on the yā’ (ي), derived from asbata. Al-Hasan read it in the passive voice: {lā yusbatūn}.
{when their fish came to them}: This is in the accusative case because of the preceding verb {yaʿdūna} (transgressing). The meaning is: Ask them about the time they were transgressing at the time the fish came.
{on the day of their Sabbath, appearing}: Meaning, visible upon the water. Sharaʿ is the plural of shāriʿ or shāriʿah. Anything that draws near to something else is called shāriʿ. A house shāriʿah is one that nears the road, and stars shāriʿah are those nearing setting. Therefore, the fish would approach the town to a degree that made them easy to catch.
Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid said: The Jews were commanded to observe Friday (the day you are commanded), but they abandoned it and chose the Sabbath. God afflicted them by forbidding fishing on that day and commanding them to sanctify it. When the Sabbath arrived, the fish would appear to them in the sea. When the Sabbath ended, they would disappear and would not return until the next Sabbath. This was a trial God afflicted them with. This explains the meaning of {And when they do not observe the Sabbath, they do not come to them}.
{Thus We tried them}: Meaning, We tested them with such a severe trial because of their wickedness (fisq). This indicates that whoever obeys God, God eases his affairs in this world and the Hereafter, while whoever disobeys Him, God tests him with various afflictions and tribulations.
Our scholars (Ashā'irah) use this verse as evidence that God is not obligated to ensure the best outcome (al-ṣalāḥ wa al-aṣlaḥ) for people, neither in religion nor in worldly matters. This is because God knew that the abundance of fish on the Sabbath might lead them to sin and disbelief. If God were obligated to ensure the best outcome, He should not have increased the fish on that day to protect them from disbelief and sin. Since He did this and did not concern Himself with their disbelief and sin, we know that ensuring the best outcome is not obligatory upon God.
And when a community among them said, "Why do you admonish a people whom Allah is about to destroy or punish with a severe punishment?" They said, "As an excuse to your Lord, and perhaps they will fear." So when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We saved those who forbade evil, and We seized those who wronged with a severe punishment because they were defiantly disobedient.
{And when a community among them said...}: A group among them spoke up.
{Why do you admonish a people whom Allah is about to destroy or punish with a severe punishment?}: They questioned the purpose of preaching to those destined for doom.
{They said, "As an excuse to your Lord"}: The admonishers replied that their preaching served as a valid plea or justification before God.
{and perhaps they will fear}: And perhaps, through this warning, they might develop piety.
{So when they forgot what they had been reminded of}: When the transgressors ignored the warnings given to them.
{We saved those who forbade evil}: God rescued those who actively warned against the transgression.
{and We seized those who wronged with a severe punishment because they were defiantly disobedient}: The wrongdoers were punished severely due to their persistent transgression (fisq).
